Rocklin Car Accident Injury
Rocklin Car Accident Injury – While the type of car accident injury you can have depends on many factors such as the type of car you drive, your speed and the impact location, injuries from car accidents are frequently seen in emergency rooms all over the country. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA), about three million vehicle passengers and drivers are injured nationwide annually. Some are minor injuries, and others are catastrophic. Let’s take a look at the types of injuries commonly seen after a car accident.
Lacerations
One type of car accident injury is a laceration. This is a penetrating injury, meaning that the skin is cut, sheared or torn. Usually, a sharp object within the vehicle is responsible, but significant lacerations can occur when an individual is thrown from the car. In most cases, the cut needs to be cleaned and dressed to prevent infection. In some cases, a tetanus shot must be given, and the wound may require sutures.
Soft Tissue Damage
Another car accident injury is seen when soft tissues are traumatized. This involves the ligaments, tendons, and muscles and can be extremely painful. One example of this type of injury is a cervical strain, commonly called whiplash. This is due to the sudden back and forth movement of the head and neck during an accident. It produces neck pain, stiffness, and headaches. Many people who experience whiplash will see their symptoms resolve in four to six weeks. However, some experience chronic neck pain after the accident that interferes with their daily life to a considerable extent. Other soft tissue areas of the body may also be injured, including that of the mid to low back. Treatment usually consists of rest, physical rehab and over-the-counter pain meds. In more severe cases, other treatment modalities may help.
Head Trauma
Another type of car accident injury involves trauma to the head. There is a broad range of such injuries, including:
- Concussion: Concussions are caused by an impact to the skull. This can happen due to the head impacting the steering wheel, dash or side and/or front windows. For most, a concussion will cause some degree of a headache, nausea, sleepiness, confusion, dizziness or ringing in the ears. In more severe cases, a person may be rendered unconscious and develop amnesia. For the most part, a mild concussion will resolve with rest after a few months. In others, cognitive effects may be felt for years after an accident and can affect the person’s ability to be successfully employed.
- Hematoma: This collection of blood over the brain can cause significant symptoms if not treated properly. If this car accident injury leads to pressure on the brain, surgical intervention is necessary. On occasion, the blood will be reabsorbed, but the determination of what to do is best left to a physician.
- Hemorrhage: This is bleeding on the surface of the brain, for example, subarachnoid hemorrhage or blood pooling in the tissues of the brain itself. Symptoms are severe headaches and vomiting. Due to the pressure buildup on the brain, which can result in a fatality, surgery is often used to remove the blood.
- Fracture of the skull: The skull is strong and usually can absorb impact. It can fracture, resulting in bleeding from the nose and ears with bruising behind the ears, called a Battle’s sign, and dark circles around the eyes referred to as raccoon eyes. Bruising around the ears usually refers to a fracture at the base of the skull. If the layers around the brain are torn, clear fluid may be seen draining from the person’s nose. Other types of fractures are called open (the skin is torn), closed (the skin is not torn) and depressed fracture where the skull is indented. Treatment for a mild fracture relies on the bone healing itself. Basal fractures might require surgery while depressed fractures are most likely to involve brain damage.
- Diffuse axonal injury: This type of brain injury can be one of the most devastating since it renders the injured area nonfunctional. It can cause permanent disability or death.
Bone Fracture
Multiple areas of the body are exposed to bone fracture after an accident. Some such as that of the upper and lower extremities are most common. However, with sufficient impact, pelvic and femur fractures can occur. These are serious fractures and usually, require surgical intervention.
Chest and Abdominal Trauma
Trauma to the chest and abdomen is responsible for significant injuries. Both may be caused by seat restraints when an impact causes the body to strain against the seat and shoulder belts. Sometimes, if a seat restraint breaks or is not worn, the person may be thrown against the steering wheel, causing impact to internal organs. Contusion of the heart can be deadly in some cases, causing the organ to be stunned with irregular beats. If the lungs are involved, respiratory function may be interrupted. Abdominal organs such as the spleen, liver, and stomach may begin to bleed, and the person may suddenly collapse an hour or more after the bleeding starts.
Rocklin Car Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Rocklin car accident lawyer. An accident can cause devastating injuries that can render a person incapable of performing daily tasks or returning to work. If this has happened to you, you need the insight an injury lawyer can provide. Reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 locally or (800) 404-5400 toll-free for my compassionate, free and friendly advice.
I’ve helped people in Rocklin recover the compensation they deserve in a variety of car accidents, motorcycle crashes and wrongful death claims among others since 1982.
I am a long-time member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This is a nationwide organization of trial lawyers who have each won more than $1 million for a client.
As you prepare to retain a lawyer, look into their practice. You can read comments by my peers and my clients as well as see how other cases were resolved on the following pages:
Rocklin Car Accident Injury: AutoAccident.com
Photo Attribution: Depositphotos_33304085_l-2015 / Rocklin Car Accident Injury
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